Child&#39;s toy harmonica



pt- 16, 1952 P. A. LA GRUTTA" 2,610,537

CHILD'S TOY HARMONICA Filed Nov. 1, 1948 INVENTOR 17 D J 13 Fuswz A.l/a6rwfia ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

I 2,610,537, CHILDS TOY HARMONICA Pascal A. La Grutta, Cedar Grove, N. J assignor to Lapin Products, Inc., Newark, N. J., a cor- I poration of New York l Application November 1, 1948, Serial No. 57,783

Claims. 1

-T-he present invention relates to a toy and it particularly relates to a childs'harmonica toy.

It is-among the objects of the present invention to make a substantially unitary one piece toy harmonica entirely molded of plastic materials which will stand rough usage and which may be inexpensively and readily molded in one operation.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation onlyand not byway of limitation, since various changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found most satisfactory, according to one embodiment of the present-invention, to form .a harmonica of a single casing without an intermediate reed plate, all molded in one piece of plastic.

The upper or top cover plate is slotted and the reeds are directly mounted thereunder and the separate reed plate characteristic of harmonieas is thus eliminated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described,- and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete one piece plastic harmonica according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view taken upon the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

" Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional View taken upon the line 4- 1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken upon the line t5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the harmonica is molded in one piece of a synthetic plastic and is preferably of polystyrene.

It has the end reduced thickness finger grip portions A, the bottom horizontal plate structure B, slotted horizontal plate top structure C, and the intermediate vertical web structure D forming a plurality of through passages.

2 Substantially covering the slots E are the reeds F which give the desired tone and scale by reason of their differing length, weight and thickness. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be noted that the bottom plate B and the top plate C arerela; tively thick as compared to the thicknessof the reeds F. The slots E extend vertically'through the upper plate C. Fromthere rear ends 10- the slots E extend forwardly the reeds F, each '01 different length as the slots increase in length from right to left, as shown in Fig. 1. 1 The .forward ends H of the reeds II are pro;- vided with varying knobs or enlargements 12 which project up into the recesses I3 of the slots E above the reeds F. The reeds F are positioned directly under the slots E shown in Fig. 4 with slight clearance along the sides as indicated at M and at the ends as indicated at'li. The reeds F are molded integrally with the structure A--B-C.

The reeds F extend rearwardly at 28 in Fig. 5 to the rear wall Iii. The rear wall [6 has openings i! one for each passage iii to permit a restricted escape of air which has been blown into the passages 58 through the front of the instrument as shown in Fig. 1.

The entire structure is molded in one operation with removable cores forming the passages '18, openings I7 and recess [3. The cores for recesses 53 will provide for the enlargements [2.

The clearances 14 and 25 will permit the reeds F tovibrate and give a range of sounds which will be attractive to the children. The instrument will be compact and may be treated quite roughly and struck or dropped without damage.

The reeds are protected by the top plate C and by the slots E.

As many changes could be made in the above childs harmonica and in the construction and method of making the same, and many widely difierent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription shall be'interprete'd as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. A one piece integral unitary molded plastic harmonica construction comprising an upper plate and a lower plate, intervening vertical webs forming air passages, a back wall provided with outlets for said passages, the upper plate being slotted and said slots extending into said passageways and reeds integrally mounted on said reeds being positioned substantially entirely within the air passages between the upper plate and the lower plate and extendingltoliandbeing molded integrally with said back wallhsaid slots and corresponding reedslbeing of varying "length.

3. A one piece integral unitary molded plastic lrarmonica vcons'truction oomprising -:an @upper plateand a'lcwerplate, intervening vertical avebs afomiingair passages, a back wall :provided with ou'tlets' 'for said passages, the upper :plate Zbeing slotted .andg'sai'd slots extending :into :zsa'id rpassageways and reeds integrally mounted on and insiaeor said upper-plate covering :"s'aid slot, and 'saidreeds being positionedsubstantially entirely within the air passages between ithetupperliplate :iand the"lower plate:and extending :to :andl'b'eing molded integral-1y with said :backzwalLzsaid reeds rbeingprovided withyenlargementsiextending:npwar'dlysinto said slots.

=14. A one piecelintegral :un'itary molded; plastic iharmonica :construction ;comprising an upper plate =andfa.lower'plate, interveriingyerticall webs iiormingair passages, :a back :wall .provided with =J'outlets lfor .said :passa'ges, Lth'e :upper :;plate :being ielotted and :said fslots vextending :into :said lpas- .sageways and reeds integrally mounted on Land 'inside o'f 'saidtsupper iplate covering .:said, slot,iand isafd rreeds :beingrpositioned substantially entirely within' the airzpa'ssages between .thenpper ;p1ate and the loweriplateiand extending to and being molde'dcintegrally with .said back :wall, the passageways, slots and outlets being formed by.:r.emovable cores.

25.3%. one :piece :molded -plastic harmonica formed 'of two espacedzplates "with intervening webs forming sairxflow passageways, one of said gplates :serving :as :a reed plate and .said reeds mnojectingzinto -and :forming :an upper wall :for :said zpassageways, ;and -;said reeds being sub- .sstantially eentirel-y enclosed in zsaidlpassageways and rheing positioned :below and outside :of the :reedlplate "and said :reeds extending r .to vthe edge of said spaced plates. 7

.ii6.5A .one spiece :-molded plastic harmonica flormed :ofztwo 131183166. :plates :with intervening webs flow zpassageways, one .of zsaid plates serving :as :a "reed v:plate, :said read plate he'in'gslotted-:and:reeds;covering and bein s-posil'tonedtinsiderofzsaid aslots; and :said :reeds'; proj ecti-ngiintoeandzformingaatn' npper:wall ionsaidgpas- 4 v sageways, and said reeds being substantially entirely enclosed in said passageways and being positioned below and outside of the reed plate and said reeds extending to the edge of said spaced plates.

7. An integral molded one-piece toy harmonica having spaced top and bottom walls and a rear walliand intervening vertical partitionsnividing the space between the top and bottom "walls into .a plurality of parallel passageways, the rear wall having a plurality of small entry openings into cea'ch'of said passageways and the top wall having .a plurality of slots of varying length opening ziinto'thetop ofsaid passageways and reed mem- .:b'ers"attached .to -the rear wall and extending forwardlywithin said passageways to cover said .slo.ts wheresaid slots open into said passageways.

8. An integral molded one-piece toy harmonica having spaced top and bottom walls and a rear Wall and intervening vertical partitions dividing the spacei'between 'lthextop. .and bottom walls iinto a plurality :of parallel"passagewayatherear wall having 4 a plurality of small -.entryo peni ngs into each ofsaidipassageways iand'the top =walllhavin g I a plurality-ofzslots. oi'varyinglengthtopening into the top :of said passageways "and l reed :members attached to :theirear "wall and extendingior-ward- 1y within said passageways to cover said..slots where .:said .rslots open :into said ,passa'geways and a: saidneeds. having projections extending up to :and into rsaidislotsrlabovethe .toplfaceaeofcsaid passageways.

;9...A :cectangular vintegrally molded istyrene .plastic ohildis .harmonicaeonstruction .compris- Jingback, :top and bottom walls with intervening websformingainpassageways:extendingtirom .the hunt .to the back of the l construction and said 'backwalls havingroundsmall diameter throughholeszcentrally positioned at .the rearvendscof the passageways, reduced-thickness integral end pieces serving as-handles, saidlupper wallserving vas iarreed p1ateand:having a plurality .ofeslots, .one for eachgpassageway andreedsextendingIbe- .low:said.1slots in.-;said passagewaysoovering the bottom of said slots.

10. .The construction of claim -9,in which :the reeds extend to land .are .moldedintegrally :with theback walL-the rear end of the reedlunderlying the 1 portion :of the upper wall between the .end of .=the slot :and the back .wall.

.-PASCAL.A. LA GRUYIIA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references v:are of .irecordzin'th'e "file of this patent:

'UNITED STATES PATENTS .Number .Name :Date

273,129 'Magnus .v April .10, 3.1945

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 526,662 ..France 0111921 

